Contrapposto

The Contrapposto, where the female figure shifts all of her body onto one side, activating the body in a dynamic twist, has been typical of classical art and a feature highlighted on women throughout art history. Women’s hip and pelvic region widen during puberty to facilitate carrying a child and the subsequent birth. The width of the hips is starkly different between the two sexes, perhaps why wide hips are seen as an attractive symbol of fertility and sexual maturity. Many of the classical poses women take when sculpted, painted or photographed emphasise the prominence of their hips. Similarly, women’s fashion through the ages has alternated between drawing our attention towards and away from the width of the wearer’s hips, each way influencing our perceptions of femininity, sexuality and empowerment.